CHAPTER TWENTY SIX-
Right & Wrong
It had been a month since Valentine's Day, and Brooke had taken the time to patch her friendship up with Peyton. They had gone shopping, taken a trip into Charleston and had even gone on a boat ride. Brooke was sure their friendship was finally on the right track again.
"We've been through a lot P. Sawyer," Brooke said as she flipped through Peyton's sketches. There were childhood drawings of the two friends, a few of them as early teenagers and several of them during high school. She looked up from the pad and smiled at her best friend. "We're always going to be friends, huh?" She asked her friend.
The blonde nodded her head as she made her way throughout the room, picking up Jenny's toys. She placed them in a basket and smiled down at Brooke. "If we could get past Luke, we can get past anything." Brooke laughed, knowing full and well that what her friend was saying was true. The relationship between Lucas and Peyton would always be a sore spot for her, she knew. There would never be a time that she would ever be able to forget it. But, forgiving was another story.
"Remember when Nate first asked you out?" Brooke asked. Peyton nodded her head and ignored her friends laugh. "You were so nervous that you dropped your chocolate milk ALL OVER the table and our homework." Brooke's exaggeration of the situation made Peyton laugh and she tossed a pillow at her.
Brooke stuck her tongue out and continued to laugh. It had been a long time since she and Peyton had any one on one time together and their strained friendship had needed it. Nathan had told her to spend some time with Peyton, but she had been afraid to. After only ten minutes, they were in their old routine. There was a knock at the door and Haley entered the room.
"Mind if I come in?" Haley asked.
Brooke squealed as she patted the bed beside her and Haley joined Brooke. The two then looked towards Peyton, who was busy folding hers and Jake's laundry. "So miss Jagelski, do you like your new status as a homemaker?" Brooke mocked her friend.
"Whatever, so what. I like folding his clothes. Occasionally I cook for him," Peyton said. When she realized she had agreed to what Brooke had said, she sunk into the chair and cringed. "Oh my God, I've changed! I've become…" she paused for a moment. "I'm Haley!"
Brooke couldn't contain her laughter as her friend stared at Peyton in annoyance. "What the hell does that mean?" Haley asked as she wrapped her arms across her chest. Peyton just laughed and Brooke decided it was best if she helped her friend out.
"It's not a bad thing Hales. It's just, our friend over here has officially crossed the line," Brooke explained. The two girls looked at Brooke, questioning what she meant by this as Brooke sat up. She grabbed her lip gloss from her bag and applied some of it. "You know, the serious line. She's been playing house with Jake since even before they ever first hooked up. All that's missing is the ring on her finger."
Peyton rolled her eyes at her friend. "Whatever Brooke, that's not true and you know it. I am no where near ready to be married and Jake would never even think about making that big of a step."
"Yeah right Peyt, you'll be Mrs. Jagelski before Nathan and Haley have their first kid," Brooke said. Brooke put the lip gloss back into her purse and looked back down.
For a moment, her smile fell. Her friends lives seemed to be going perfect, both in a long term relationship with the person that they were meant to be with. And where was Brooke? In a relationship with someone she liked, but wasn't sure she could ever love. All the while the one she did love, was getting away. She shook her head and faked a smile.
"Wait- you said I would have a kid before next year," Haley said thinking about the timing and turning towards Peyton. "That means you'd be married this year Peyton!" Haley laughed as Peyton shook her head no. There was no way. Marriage was something she was sure would come, but years down the road and once her and Jake were settled in a routine.
Brooke laughed at her friends and listened as they argued. Truth was, she didn't know when Jake and Peyton would get married, or even when Nathan and Haley would have their first kid. But Brooke knew something more important, she knew that her two friends were on the way to both of those things. They had found their happily ever after, they just had to work out all of the details.
"You want to get some lunch with the guys?" Haley asked, as she glanced down at her beeping pager. Peyton nodded her head yes and Brooke shrugged her shoulders. She wasn't sure that she was in the mood to see Lucas, but she knew that her friends would persist until she came along. Plus she knew that there was only a few months left of time that the six friends had left together and she knew she needed to take advantage of it.
They made their way towards Brooke car and Brooke absentmindedly played with the radio. When an Ashlee Simpson song came on, she clapped her hands in delight. She loved this song, she turned up the radio and let it blast the L.O.V.E. song that she had danced to many times before. Her friends groaned at the music choice, but before either one knew it, they were singing along with her.
When they arrived at the café, Haley was the first out of the car and on her way to Nathan. Brooke watched as he wrapped his arms around her and brought her into a huge hug. Peyton walked towards Jake and he placed his arm around her shoulder, kissing her gently on her neck.
Brooke took her time approaching the group and waved hello to Lucas. He smiled down at her and the two cut each others stare. "Hey Luke," she whispered. His smile broadened and she felt her heart pound against her chest. She wondered if he knew what he did to her.
"Hey Brooke."
The two's stare went unnoticed by their friends, who walked into the café and took a seat at their usual table. Haley took a seat on Nathan's lap and Peyton held on tightly to Jake's hand. Brooke looked towards Lucas and rolled her eyes. "Guys, can you give us a break?" Lucas laughed.
The two couples turned to each other and shared a laugh. Haley jumped off of Nathan's lap and sat beside him, giving Brooke an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry," she said softly. Brooke shrugged her shoulders and turned her attention towards Nathan.
"What's up with you, Nate?"
Nathan grinned mischievously. "Senior prank." The group were all laughing except for Haley whose smile fell from her face. She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed.
"If you and Tim go through with the pranks this year, you're going to get caught."
Nathan shook his head no and turned towards his concerned wife. He grabbed a hold of her hand and squeezed it. "This plan is full proof, okay? There is no way we'll get caught and I am in charge. Not Tim."
Haley turned towards Brooke. "Help me out here?"
"Haley's right Nate," Brooke said with a sigh. She smiled slightly at her friend and rolled her eyes. "You're going to get caught if Tim's involved."
Nathan shook his head no and cut her off. "There is no way I am getting caught," he said. Alexis managed to bring them all their drinks and took their order. After she had left, Nathan turned his attention back towards Brooke. "So, how's Sean?" He asked her. Nathan didn't care that he was getting dirty looks from not only his wife, but his friends as well.
"He's great," Brooke said with a confident smile. She was being honest, he was doing great. He was working again and had visited his sister a few weeks back. Brooke and him had even gone to the movies and out to dinner a few nights before. Things with Sean was always great. "He invited me to a party up in Fairfax this weekend."
Truth was, he had. Brooke still hadn't given him an answer, but she still couldn't stop the words from coming out of her mouth. She noticed the concern on both Jake's and Nathan's face and shook her head. Haley and Peyton stayed quiet, both offering sad glances towards Lucas.
Lucas.
She turned towards him and noticed that he wasn't even looking at her. He had his head bent down and was apparently messing with his cell phone. Brooke smiled slightly and tore her eyes away from him, landing on Haley. She tried to glance away, but Haley had caught her staring at Lucas and there was no turning back. A blush spread over Brooke's cheeks and she stood up in a hurry.
"I just remembered…" Brooke said as she grabbed her purse. "I have to go." Her words didn't go unnoticed by anyone of her friends, as she exited the café faster than she had come in. Peyton took the opportunity to smack Nathan's head and he turned towards her.
"What the hell was that for?" He asked, rubbing his neck.
Peyton rolled her eyes. "Why would you ask her about Sean?"
"Haley, say something to her!" Nathan exclaimed as Haley threw her hands up in the air. She turned towards her husband and sunk back in her chair.
"There's nothing I can say babe."
Nathan looked back and forth between Nathan and Haley and groaned. "She just hit me!" Haley nodded her head sadly and looked towards Lucas. She wasn't even sure he was aware that Brooke had left, he had barely looked up since they had all sat down. But as she caught the corner of his eye, she knew he was close to tears.
"You shouldn't have said anything to Brooke," Haley corrected him. Nathan shifted in his seat and pretended to give her the cold shoulder. The group went on to talk about an upcoming event at Tric and didn't notice when Lucas began to collect his things.
He stood up and placed his chair back under the table. "I should get home. I have a lot of work to do," Lucas said. He waved goodbye to everyone and gave Haley a kiss on her forehead. "See you later," he said sadly. After he had left, Haley hit Nathan upside his head.
"Again?" He asked.
Peyton laughed as Haley shook her head yes. "You think she'll ever tell him how she feels?" Jake asked. The two girls shook their heads no and sighed. There was nothing they could do, if their friends were going to be stubborn, then that was that. There was nothing left.
Haley turned to Peyton, excitedly. "Peyt!" She squealed as she clapped her hands together. Nathan looked at his wife and raised an eyebrow. His wife was definitely up to something.
"Uh-oh," Jake said as he watched the two girls begin to talk. Nathan shook his head in agreement and then turned towards the café doors. Skills, Tim and Mouth all entered the café and Nathan stood up.
Jake turned to the two gossiping girls and then back towards the group of guys. He shrugged his shoulders and stood up with Nathan. "Want an extra partner in crime?"
……
Lucas pulled his car to a stop and quickly got out of his car. He wasn't going to wait any longer, the feelings that he was feeling needed to be addressed once and for all. He knocked quickly on Brooke's front door and waited for her to pull it open. When she didn't open the door, he pushed it open. "Brooke, are you home?" He called out to her. "Brooke, we need to talk."
As he opened the door, he was surprised to see Brooke sitting on the couch with her head in her hands. She was crying and he knew that he was partially to blame. There wasn't much he could do, so he walked towards her and he wrapped his arms around her. "Brooke," he whispered as she buried her head in his chest. She stayed there, for several minutes before she eventually pulled away from him.
"You shouldn't be here," she said to him.
Lucas nodded his head in agreement but didn't make any move to leave. He just brought her back towards him, his hands wrapping in her hair. "Brooke, what's wrong?" He asked her. She looked up at him, her hazel eyes locking with his blue ones and she suddenly found herself pushing him away.
"Luke, what are we doing?" She asked.
Lucas was confused and wasn't sure what she had been referring to, but he didn't care. He had come to talk to her, to tell her how he really felt. And as he stared at her, he knew that he couldn't back down away from it. They were tearing each other apart and it needed to finally be addressed. "I need to tell you something Brooke."
She nodded her head. "Me too Luke. Me too."
Their lips met instantly in a delicate kiss. It was completely unexpected and neither of them knew which of them had actually initiated it. Brooke pulled away and brought her hands to her lips. "Wow…" she said as she stood up.
"Brooke…"
She cut him off by pulling him towards her. It had been a long time since she had been with anyone, and she knew that she was ready. The desire that was in her eyes, was mirrored in his as they walked towards the bedroom together.
Once in her room, she stood in front of him and unbuttoned her shirt. As if fell to the floor, she found herself blushing in embarrassment. Never in her life had she been embarrassed of her body, but as she stood in front of Lucas, her heart was beating faster than ever. He ran his fingers down her neck and traced the outline of her bra. Lucas unclasped the bra and let it fall to the floor, bringing his mouth to her neck and leaving a trail of kisses.
Brooke moaned quietly and shut her eyes. "Luke," she whispered as he continued his journey with his mouth. "Luke…" Her eyes shot open and she looked down at him with tears in her eyes. She covered her breasts with her arms and she turned away from him. "Luke, I am so sorry… I just can't."
He realized what they had almost done and he backed away from her. " Brooke, I am so sorry," he choked out as he leaned against the door. She shook her head violently and turned back towards him.
"Don't be sorry…" she whispered. "I just can't do it to Sean."
Lucas felt like the wind was knocked out of him. So she had stopped him because of Sean? He felt his temper raise in him and he turned to walk away from her. "Unbelievable," he muttered as he exited her room and headed for the front door. Brooke followed after him and called for him. When he didn't turn around, she collapsed on the couch.
"I'm sorry."
……
"Hey mom," Jake said as he entered his parents kitchen.
His mother turned around to look at him and she smiled sweetly. "Hey sweetheart, your baby girl is out in the back yard with your dad," she said pointing over her shoulder. Jake nodded his head and sat down at the kitchen table. "I'm sorry I haven't been home much. Peyton's alone most of the time and I feel like I should be there with her."
She nodded her head and took the seat next to him. "Sweetie, you don't have to explain anything to me. I understand about you and Peyton. I just hope this time, you're a little more careful."
"I'm not going to have another kid yet mom."
Jake didn't want anymore children until after college was over. Raising Jenny on his own for the first couple months of her life had been enough to make him realize that. After college, perhaps when him and Peyton got an apartment- then there would be a chance for more children.
"I know that sweetie. But Peyton- she's the one for you."
He laughed at his mom's choice of words but still nodded his head. It was hard for him to believe that he had found true love at 17 years old. But it didn't mean that he didn't believe it. "I know mom, I have no intention on letting her go."
"Good, cause I have something for you."
Jake watched as his mother dug in her apron pocket and pulled out a tiny jewelry box. "I wanted to give it to you for Valentine's Day, but I decided it should wait a little while. Here," she said as she handed him the box. With his fingers trembling it, he opened the box and revealed a gold ring with a diamond on it.
"That's grandma's ring."
His mom nodded his head and grinned proudly. "I talked it over with your dad and we decided that it was time that we give it to you. We were 17 when we got engaged and I know that you're ready. So- whenever you decide you're ready… you have the ring."
"Wow mom, thanks."
Jake took the ring and placed it in his pocket. Was he ready? More importantly, was Peyton ready?
……
Haley folded Nathan's undershirts and placed them in the drawer. She smiled to herself, remembering that hours before Brooke had made fun of Peyton for doing the same thing. Pulling his sock drawer open, she glanced down and noticed the paperwork hidden underneath.
She could hear him in the shower and she knew he would be in there for a while. Looking at the papers would be wrong and she knew But looking at the envelope… what was the harm in that? She thought to herself.
Haley noticed the label for UCLA on the envelope and stifled her gasp. He was planning on going to a school on the opposite side of the country? Haley slammed the sock drawer shut and walked over to the phone.
"Hey Brooke, it's me. Pick up the phone."
TBC…
